Players vote in favor of striking on March 12-13
The soccer players of 10 out of the Super League’s 16 teams voted on March 8 in favor of striking on March 12-13 in protest at the repeated instances of violence in games.
Nevertheless, the proposal by the Panhellenic Association of Professional Soccer Players (PSAP) was not universally accepted as certain teams, such as Ergotelis, voiced their own objections regarding the level and the timeliness of the body’s response. This may well mean the strike is going to fail.
The determination of players from all major clubs (Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and AEK, PAOK and Aris) is evident that the players wish to send a message against violence, while critics suggest that they just do not want to be seen as doing nothing about the sport’s main problem in this country.
“The majority of teams are in agreement. Life has great value for everyone, not just the players of Olympiakos or Panathinaikos,” said Stelios Giannakopoulos, the PSAP president and a former Bolton Wanderers and Olympiakos player. The other teams to agree to the walkout are Iraklis, Atromitos, Larissa, Panserraikos and Xanthi.
The issue is now in the hands of the Super League. The organizer of the league championship will now decide whether or not to postpone the matches scheduled for the weekend of the strike. However, unless all teams agree to a strike, the industrial action appears doomed.
